1. EUA/Higher Education Consultant
MOOCs and Free Digital Learning for the Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees
Elizabeth Colucci
EUA/Higher Education Consultant

2. CONTEXT FREE DIGITAL LEARNING INCLUSION ?
Education correlated with inclusion
Increasing number of migrants and refugees  Need for education
50% of refugees in the world have access to primary education, (compared with a global access level of more than 90%)
Only 1% of refugees are enrolled in higher education
Refugees can spend an average of 17 years in a camp (UNHCR)
In Greece, average migrant child is out of school 1.5 years
Free Digital learning resources are seen as cost-effective, scalable and flexible = potential for delivering education to vulnerable or marginalised groups
BUT, use of some of types of FDL, such as MOOCs, by vulnerable groups (including migrants and refugees) and less educated individuals is lower than expected
INCLUSION ?
FREE DIGITAL LEARNING
A logical combination

3. MOOCS4INCLUSION THE STUDY Aims
To assess the potential of MOOCs and FDL offers for the integration, inclusion and further learning of migrants and refugees in Europe and in neighbourhood regions in conflict
Provide information on how FDL can be better adapted to the specific needs of migrants and refugee
Formulate policy recommendations for policy-makers, international organisations and other investors who design and implement policies or programmes supporting migrant and refugee learning and integration, using MOOCs or FDL.
Team: E. Colucci, H. Smidt, A. Devaux (RAND Europe), C. Vrasidas, (CARDET), M. Safarjalani, J. Castaño Muñoz, S. Carretero, S. and Y. Punie (JRC).
Commission by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission: July 2016 – Jan 2017.

4. Free Digital Learning (FDL)
FDL DEFINITION
Free Digital Learning (FDL)
All learning activities (formal – leading to a degree or certification, informal and non-formal) at all education levels, undertaken with the support of ICT tools (e.g. computers, tablets, mobile phones, but also Apps, used online or offline) at no (or very low) cost to the learner, barring potential additional costs for validating or certifying the learning or other extra services.
This would include online courses such as MOOCs, offered in a stand-alone manner or in the context of a targeted migrant/refugee learning initiative, online or downloaded language courses, Apps that provide learning opportunities, digital games with an explicit learning purposes and other online learning content directed at migrant/refugee inclusion and integration in their host societies and future job markets.”

5. Methodology (1) METHODS Literature Review
Plethora of new initiatives
Few sources look at impact
Catalogue and typology of initiatives
Searchable website with categorization:
Type of resource/ technology used
Type of design: FDL resource applied in a ‘blended’ context or a purely online resource
Purpose: Higher education, civic integration, employment, language learning
8 Case Studies: Selected initiatives
Interviews with responsible individuals (CEOs, developers, marketers…)

6. NOT COMPREHENSIVE – A snapshop of initiatives
CATALOGUE AND TYPOLOGY
NOT COMPREHENSIVE – A snapshop of initiatives
1st version of the catalogue at:

7. FDL: A (proposed) classification

8. Diversity of initiatives
Description
Sector/purpose
Type
Edraak
A platform for MOOCs in Arabic
Higher education, professional education, lifelong learning
MOOC platform
Funzi
A Finnish based start-up: mobile learning to refugees in Europe and Global South
Language learning/mobile learning
Mobile Learning application
Information Sweden
A platform with an easy overview of Swedish society and how to navigate it.
Civic integration
Portal aggregating FDL resources
InZone – (UNHCR Learn Lab)
Provides a targeted, culturally- sensitive pedagogical and mentored blended learning model to refugees in camps or neighboring countries.
Higher education, vocational training
Delivered in refugee camps + blended approach
Jamiya Project
Higher education for Syrian refugees - reconnecting them with Syrian academics and European universities
Higher education
SPOCs +
blended approach
KIRON Open Higher Education
Access for refugees to Higher Education through a modularized curriculum that employs existing MOOCs
Existing MOOCs + blended approach
LASER – Language, Academic Skills and E-learning Resources
An EU funded project to help refugee students in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon to reintegrate into higher education
Higher education/
language learning
Distance education/ coaching
MEET – Meeting the Health Literacy Needs of Immigrant Populations
EU co-funded project: Platform and an online training course to strengthen the health literacy among migrants and refugees
Language learning, civic integration
Online training package
Ready for Study
mMOOC targeting refugees who want to study in German higher education institutions.
Language learning and integration (to enter higher education)
mMOOC
Welcomm!
EU co-funded project that aims at raising awareness among migrant parents for the importance of education for social inclusion.
Language learning, migrant children and parents

9. Methodology (2): Focus Groups
Focus groups with migrants and refugees
Trollhättan (SE)  Newly arrived refugees in a reception camp
Nicosia (CY)  Migrants (all ages) + refugees for over 5 years
Brussels (BE) Migrants (all ages) participating in mandatory integration course
Berlin (DE) Newly arrived refugees with HE background
Topics
General awareness for FDL offers
Understanding of what FDL would encompass
Current usage
Perceived relevance of FDL for different purposes (further learning, formal degree, integration…)
Perceived and real obstacles to access FDL
An indication of migrant refugee/learner interests and needs

10. Conclusions/Recommendations (1) – Opportunities
MAIN RESULTS
Conclusions/Recommendations (1) – Opportunities
FDL and FLEXIBILITY: FDL allows migrants and refugees to start acquiring the skills they need for asking for asylum, a resident's permit, housing or to find employment, even before they arrive in the host country.
Most refugees and migrants have mobile devices (high potential for mobile apps – content available offline needed)
Cost barrier low (for the learners) but may be high for developers
Plethora of current initiatives, creativity, ‘bottom-up’ efforts

11. Conclusions/Recommendations (2) – Design
MAIN RESULTS
ADAPTATION
Fragility and diversity of migrant/refugee target groups
Co-development with learners and cooperation with other initiatives and sharing of good practices a must
Technology should also be adapted to the restrictions of the target groups (e.g. in some camps, internet connexion can be difficult)
LANGUAGE LEARNING
A first-priority for the general migrant and refugee community.
Blending language training with other content acquisition enhances the efficacy of FDL initiatives (CLIL)
RECOGNITION, QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ACCREDITATION
Use Bologna tools (ECTS, learning agreements…..)
Pursue recognition by European quality assurance agencies.
Cooperation with employers
COMPLEMENT not a SUBTITUTE
FDL as a complement to face-to-face formal, non-formal, and informal learning rather than a substitute.
Targeted, blended (a mix of online and face-to-face learning) and facilitated (as opposed to self-learning) approaches most effective

12. Conclusions/Recommendations (3) – Communication and sustainability
MAIN RESULTS
Conclusions/Recommendations (3) – Communication and sustainability
Lack of AWARENESS for FDL offers:
Optimise communication channels such as social media
Invest in FDL “ambassadors” may increase awareness
Funding
FDL should not rely only on foundational funding, such as crowd-funding or grants
Diversification of funding, cooperation between initiatives, alternative income mechanisms and good communication channels to reach target group is needed.

13. RESEARCH GAPS RESEARCH GAPS Data/Impact Assessment: Use Completion
Impact + Cost-benefit
Beyond HE initiatives

14. MORE INFO
FINAL REPORT:
MORE INFO AND CATALOGUE OF INITATIVES:
CONTACT: